


By Action Rather Than Words

by FullmetalChords



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Historical, Kissing, Late Night Writing, M/M, Sharing Body Heat, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-05
Updated: 2015-12-05
Packaged: 2018-05-05 03:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5359205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullmetalChords/pseuds/FullmetalChords
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hamilton is up late with his studies again. Laurens does his best to persuade him to get some rest. </p><p>Took a shot at writing these two with some historical accuracy. Winter 1778-1779.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Action Rather Than Words

The scratching of a quill broke the silence in the tent, as did the mutterings of its only other occupant.

“…foster and qualify the imperious and fiery genius of monarchy by restraining it within the bounds of equity and moderation…”

Laurens stirred, shivering under the thin blanket, and turned toward the source of the murmuring. Sure enough, Alexander Hamilton sat still at their shared desk, in full uniform, narrating as he wrote by the light of a stubby taper.

“…establishment of the senate… like a ballast of a ship…”

“Still carrying out His Excellency’s demands, Hamilton?” Laurens asked, making his companion startle and turn in his direction. “Surely this latest petition to Congress can wait until daylight.”

“My focus is not on the betterment of our army, dear Laurens,” Hamilton said, dipping his quill back into the inkwell, “but rather, the betterment of myself.” He resumed scratching into what Laurens now realized was not parchment to be sent as a letter, but rather, the back pages of Hamilton’s pay book.

Laurens’s eyebrows rose as he sat up.

“Fluent in the tongues of our allies, quick-witted in mathematics and military strategy, and still you wish for more?”

“Naturally,” Hamilton said, squinting through candlelight at one of the tomes Hamilton always had by his side. “The human mind is not meant to be left idle, Laurens. The knowledge of the ancients, of our contemporaries… it is our duty to absorb it, that it might be synthesized, coalesced into a singular truth. Plutarch,” he continued, gesturing at the book he had laid open, “compiled the biographies of many great statesmen of his epoch, in the hopes of passing on their Athenian wisdom. Are we, in the creation of our own great republic, not honor-bound to repeat their victories, rather than their failures?”

His monologue ended with a soft gasp, because as Hamilton had been talking, Laurens had crawled out of bed, gently wrapping his arms around Hamilton’s thin shoulders.

“Alexander,” Laurens said into his ear, keeping his voice low, not wishing to disrupt the stillness of the camp. “Our bed is too cold, without you in it.”

He could feel Hamilton breathe, their chests moving together. Slowly, Hamilton moved his free hand to cover one of Laurens’s, though his right still clung to his pen.

“There is much work yet to be done,” he said quietly. 

“I have faith that you will do it,” Laurens replied, pressing a soft, silent kiss to Hamilton’s hair. “But not tonight.”

Gently, he slid his fingers along Hamilton’s arm, down the back of his hand, until Laurens, too, held Hamilton’s pen. He slowly helped his fellow aide set it down, and Hamilton exhaled, reaching behind him to rest ink-stained fingers on Laurens’s cheek.

“John,” he whispered as Laurens sealed the inkwell, still leaning around Hamilton rather than dare to separate from him. “I tire.”

He did not clarify of what he tired – of his studies, of the war, of the silence surrounding their relationship. The fondness he held for Laurens, that Laurens held for him… neither of them could afford to let it show outside the confines of this shelter. Not even Lafayette could know how deeply their mutual affection ran.

But Lafayette was not here. The general was not here. Only Hamilton was here, rising slowly to his feet and allowing himself to be led away from the writing desk. Laurens helped him to undress with all the tenderness he could afford, Hamilton’s woolen jacket and breeches neatly folded and put away beside Laurens’s. Only when Hamilton was left standing in his undergarments and a long nightshirt did the other man lean forward, pressing his mouth against Laurens’s with such fervor that Laurens’s frigid toes could feel the warmth. He couldn’t help but cling to Hamilton, returning the kiss with all the passion he could safely muster.

“Oh, my dear boy,” Laurens said quietly once they had separated, hands still wandering through hair and over backs. “My Alexander. We both need our rest, my darling.”

Hamilton gave a small, impetuous huff, his fingers digging into Laurens’s nightshirt. “Just imagine how well I will rest after the proper exertions,” he said, but his words were so slurred that Laurens simply smiled, pressing their foreheads together.

“You will rest well enough,” he said, now leading Hamilton towards the bed, “with me beside you.”

Hamilton all but collapsed into the bed, curling up in the warm spot Laurens had left, and Laurens climbed in after him. Both blankets were pulled up to their chins, and Laurens slid closer to Hamilton, pressing his chest against Hamilton’s back as his arms found their way around Hamilton’s middle. 

“Your mind shall conquer worlds one day, Alexander,” he said, nuzzling the back of Hamilton’s neck with his nose.

He felt Hamilton lace his fingers with his own, warming his cold hands. “I am nothing of my Macedonian namesake,” he said softly, settling into Laurens’s embrace. “I do not wish to conquer worlds. It is enough, my dear Laurens, to have been a part of yours.”

The wind howled around them, letting the candle on the desk sputter into darkness.

**Author's Note:**

> Hamilton's habit of studying history/politics/economics late at night is taken from descriptions/excerpts in Chernow's book (page 111, iirc). There's also an allusion to Alexander the Great because if you're thinking Ham/people around Ham never made that connection, you're probably wrong.
> 
> If you enjoyed, feel free to stop by phoenixrei.tumblr.com!


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